Ash-killing beetles close in on N.J.

A wave of beetles that can destroy ash trees continues to make its way closer to New Jersey's borders and may infest trees as early as this summer, state officials said.

Emerald ash borer beetles were recently found in Bucks County, Pa., about 15 miles west of Trenton — a big jump from last spring when they were in Harrisburg, Pa., more than 100 miles from New Jersey, said Carl Schulze, a director with the state Department of Agriculture.

Similarly, the beetles were found late last summer at West Point, N.Y., 30 miles from northern Bergen County when they had been spotted 50 miles away in the Catskill region just months before.

"They're knocking on our door," said Schulze, director of the division of plant industry.

This summer, like last summer, more than 680 sticky traps will be hung from trees in all 21 counties, including 14 in Bergen County and 19 in Passaic County. The 3-foot-tall, wedge-shaped purple traps won't eliminate the beetle, but are designed to confirm if they're in the area. Each trap will be checked at least twice over the summer.

Such precautions are needed, Schulze said, because the beetles work fast to establish nests. They lay their eggs in the bark and the larvae burrow deep into the tree, causing damage throughout. Summer is their most active period.

Their presence typically goes undetected until trees show symptoms of infestation. They are responsible for killing more than 50 million ash trees in the United States, according to the New York Department of Environmental Conservation.

"Once these beetles get a foothold, a tree is not going to last two or three years," he said.

Appeared in 2004

The small, metallic-green insect, a native of China, first appeared in the United States near Detroit in 2004. Over the years it has made its way to New York and Pennsylvania among other Eastern states.

New Jersey officials took notice of the beetles last year when they showed up in Ulster County, N.Y., about 50 miles north of New Jersey.

The beetles can fly, but some believe they have been transported through ash firewood and ash nursery stock. There are insecticides on the market, but New York officials say their effectiveness varies greatly.

The traps were placed on ash trees in parks and on private property. Schulze cautioned people to leave the traps alone.